Former Formula One (F1) driver Jacques Villeneuve believes the good drivers will still stand out in the new era of F1. The 2026 rules have come under criticism for taking out the fun element of driving with emphasis fully on battery management and not the driver’s ability to be brave and find the limits of the car.

“You see clever drivers on the track. You see the way they set the car up to benefit from the rules. And that’s what’s the key. You have a set of rules. How do you make the most of it? And you still see the best at the end of the day winning. And that’s what we want to see,” said Villeneuve.

When asked about the criticism of the new rules, the 1997 World champion added, “You still have to be the best at what you’re given, independently of what the rule sets are. If the rules change, you’ll still have the best within those rule sets. And that’s what you want to see. Mercedes did an amazing job at figuring it out. And then if you look at the difference in between like (George) Russell and (Kimi) Antonelli, obviously, Russell has understood those rules a lot better as well. And that’s paid off.”

“The two Ferrari drivers (Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc) seem to have understood them well also. And if you look through the grid, there are some bigger differences between teammates now than there was in the past, because they have to adapt. They have to figure it out sometimes as they drive, which is interesting.”

Though Mercedes has the outright fastest car right now, the Canadian felt that other teams will catch up, especially with impending rule tweaks to make the racing better.

“Well, the teams will get closer during the season. That’s a given. Mostly there should be a rule change after a few races concerning engines. Then we’ll see how much Mercedes has an advantage or not. That will be telling. Mercedes really have a good chassis, obviously, because both drivers are quick.”

“Ferrari is close enough to get good points now. That could allow them later in the season, once everything balances out a little bit, to go get some victory. (It’s) a little bit tougher for McLaren and Red Bull. Although we’ve seen Red Bull always recover. So Max (Verstappen), if he’s not too far, always count on him,” said Villenueve.

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